Fort Walton Beach, FL

Census place 1224475 · pop 21,025

D53/ 100
😐 Meh
C
in FL
📍 Florida ranks #29 of 50 states →
🏆 Property crime272/100k · top 10%
🚽 Growth-4.8% · bottom 9%
Taxes
0.56% property · US 0.99%6.98% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Population growth (5yr)-4.8%9

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-4.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Natural disaster riskCounty-level97/10021

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

97/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Broadband access87.7%24

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

87.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Uninsured adults12.8%27

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

12.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health17.7%41

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

17.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Poverty rate13.3%41

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

13.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Median household income$68,53841

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$68,538 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult smoking14.1%42

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

14.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Rent$1,870/mo42

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,870/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$321,80042

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$321,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Homeownership61.8%44

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

61.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Physical inactivity25.8%46

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

25.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Bachelor's degree or higher29.7%49

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

29.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Income inequality0.4352

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Commute time23 min58

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

23 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Violent crime rate153/100k59

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

153 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Adult obesity31.7%68

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

31.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.1%75

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.56%86

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.56% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Air quality (AQI)County-level36 AQI86

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

36 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property crime rate272/100k90

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

272 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Frequently asked

Is Fort Walton Beach, FL a good place to live?
By the numbers, Fort Walton Beach scores 53/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property crime rate and its weakest is population growth (5yr). Florida overall ranks #29 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Fort Walton Beach, FL?
Fort Walton Beach reports 153 violent crimes per 100k and 272 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Fort Walton Beach, FL expensive to live in?
Fort Walton Beach has a median home value of $321,800 and typical rent around $1,870/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Fort Walton Beach, FL?
Its weakest measured area is population growth (5yr) (-4.8%) — 9/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Fort Walton Beach, FL best at?
Its strongest measured area is property crime rate (272/100k) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.